Team United States (Olympic)

Nathan Chen is a national champion for the sixth straight time.

Chen won the title with a score of 212.62 during Sunday's championship men's free skate in Nashville, Tennessee, to bring his total score to 328.01. Ilia Malinin clinched second place with a total score of 302.48, while Vincent Zhou finished in third after a total score of 290.16.

Here is a look at the full results:

1. Nathan Chen, 328.01 (115.39 short and 212.62 free)

2. Ilia Malinin, 302.48 (103.46 short and 199.02 free)

3. Vincent Zhou, 290.16 (112.78 short and 177.38 free)

4. Jason Brown, 289.78 (100.84 short and 188.94 free)

5. Camden Pulkinen, 260.41 (90.16 short and 170.25 free)

6. Jimmy Ma, 226.98 (91.62 short and 135.36 free)

7. Liam Kapeikis, 221.31 (73.77 short and 147.54 free)

8. Dinh Tran, 215.72 (71.18 short and 144.54 free)

9. Ryan Dunk, 191.36 (65.66 short and 125.70 free)

10. Paul Yeung, 183.74 (60.01 short and 123.73 free)

11. Artur Dmitriev, 183.01 (62.40 short and 120.61 free)

12. Mitchell Friess, 171.19 (66.07 short and 105.12 free)

13. Sebastien Payannet, 162.28 (48.52 short and 113.76 free)

The primary storyline coming into Sunday's free skate was whether Chen would take home the title for a sixth straight time.

For Nathan Chen, the limit does not exist.@nathanwchen x #ToyotaUSChamps22 pic.twitter.com/P6QiRhPtAB

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) January 9, 2022

NATHAN CHEN.
NATHAN CHEN.
NATHAN CHEN.
NATHAN CHEN.
NATHAN CHEN.#ToyotaUSChamps22

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) January 9, 2022

He staked himself to an early lead with a sparkling score of 115.39 in the short program. Zhou was nearly three points behind at 112.78, while Malinin built a cushion in the battle for third with a score of 103.46.

Jason Brown checked in at 100.84 as he competed with the 17-year-old Malinin for the third spot on the Olympic team.

Yet Chen's brilliance stole the show, and George Ramsay of CNN noted his short program score broke his own U.S. scoring record he set in 2020. The three-time world champion looked the part of Olympic favorite even though the competition will increase in Beijing when he faces Japan's Yuzuru Hanyu.

It was Brown who took the ice first among the contenders for the free skate, and an early fall left the door open for Malinin.

Always giving it his all on the ice.

The entire crowd in the arena is on their feet after @jasonbskates's free skate. 👏@USFigureSkating x #ToyotaUSChamps22 pic.twitter.com/3zqOSIBTVf

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) January 9, 2022

He wasn't the only one who came up short with an opportunity to jump a spot. Zhou stumbled on multiple landings while making a handful of mistakes. There was something to be said for taking some chances and pressing the technical skills when chasing an all-time great like Chen, but the 21-year-old came up short after he was largely excellent in the short program.

In fact, he barely stayed ahead of Brown despite having approximately a 12-point cushion after the short program.

With second place now realistically on the table, Malinin unleashed a dazzling combination of technical skill and artistry that moved him up the leaderboard. Not only did he fire up the crowd at this year's nationals, but he announced himself as a future star for American figure skating who figures to be a headline name for 2026.

The future of @USFigureSkating is looking bright.

17-year-old Ilia Malinin put on a SHOW in his free skate.@USFigureSkating x #ToyotaUSChamps22 pic.twitter.com/ZJnukIAMi5

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) January 9, 2022

It was arguably a cleaner skate than Chen's considering the victor fell multiple times, but the winner's combination of quad jumps and overall program was too much to beat.

The result was another victory on the illustrious resume for the best men's figure skater in the United States heading into the Olympics next month.

With the pressure of the Tokyo Olympics behind him, Draymond Green opened up about the mounting concern inside the Team USA locker room following the opening-round loss to France. 

Speaking to Carmelo Anthony on his YouTube show What’s In Your Glass?, Green shared notes from a players-only meeting Team USA held after the 83-76 defeat (comments begin at 5:45):

“We definitely felt it. After that first game game, we had a meeting. It was just players-only and talking about what we felt we needed to do. Like aside from what the coaches felt, aside from what anybody was saying, what did we feel like we needed to do? And then after that meeting, it was kind of like the OK for everybody to be themselves. Normally we have like 4-5 weeks to prepare. We had two weeks from the start of camp to the first game. There wasn’t much time to really figure it out. ... So when we lost that first game, it felt like the world was ending. Because France beat the world championship team in 2019, and although none of us played on that team, you still hear that and you still feel that when you’re apart of Team USA. So when they beat us the first game, you hear everybody talking about how much the world has caught up to the United States. ... But we knew we blew that f--king game. ... So we knew if we corrected some things and played our brand of basketball ... we were going to beat the hell out of everybody.”

The United States bounced back in pool play with a 120-66 victory over Iran and a 119-84 win over the Czech Republic before steamrolling its way through the knockout round. 

That led to a gold-medal rematch against France in which the Americans came out on top, 87-82. 

Whatever the players ultimately hashed out after the loss to France, the results are hard to argue with. Team USA won its fourth consecutive gold medal, and Green launched on an epic tweetstorm calling out commentators who doubted the Americans would win. 

As much as the talk at the time centered on how the rest of the world was catching up to the United States in basketball, it appears there's still a sizable gap. 

Considering the Americans only had their full team together for a handful of days before the Games opened—thanks to a later-than-usual NBA postseason—Green saw the gold medal more as a statement of how quickly everyone bought in. 

Now the United States has another three years to try to stay ahead of countries like France, Slovenia and Spain that have a legitimate chance to make a run at the 2024 Games in Paris. 

  

  

As the Tokyo Games came to a close Sunday, American women helped the country take the lead in total gold medals thanks to victories in basketball, volleyball and cycling omnium.

It was American Jennifer Valente's victory in the latter, in which she survived a frightening multi-racer crash that included a previous two-time gold medalist, that earned the United States both its first win in the sport and its 39th gold medal of the Games.

Add her to the history books. ✅ @usacycling x #TokyoOlympics

— Team USA (@TeamUSA) August 8, 2021

Her win capped off an Olympics in which female athletes deservedly grabbed headlines for their excellence on the field, court, mat and in the pool.

Women accounted for 66 of the United States' medals in the Tokyo Games, a record for any nation in Olympic history.

     

Final Medal Count

1. United States: 39 gold, 113 overall
2. China: 38 gold, 88 overall
3. Japan: 27 gold, 58 overall
4. Great Britain: 22 gold, 56 overall
5. ROC: 20 gold, 71 overall
6. Australia: 17 gold, 46 overall
7. Netherlands: 10 gold, 36 overall
8. France: 10 gold, 33 overall
9. Germany: 10 gold, 37 overall
10. Italy: 10 gold, 40 overall

Complete list at Olympics.com.

     

7 Straight Golds for Team USA in Women's Hoops

Team USA women's basketball won its seventh straight Olympic gold medal Sunday, defeating host country Japan 90-75. It was a win that further solidified the country's dominance in international play and, for two of its most respected players, established their legacies as the most decorated.

Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi each won her fifth gold medal, making them the most decorated basketball players in United States Olympic history, regardless of gender.

No context. Just enjoy this gem 💎@DianaTaurasi | @S10Bird pic.twitter.com/7k68yclb4r

— espnW (@espnW) August 8, 2021

"They've done so much for USA Basketball that the rest of us players are just continuing to try and return the favor and make sure that they realize how much we appreciate them," teammate Breanna Stewart said, per ESPN's Mechelle Voepel.

Their leadership and superb play from Stewart, Brittney Griner and reigning WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson fueled the team in a mostly uncontested competition.

Griner and Wilson dominated the middle Sunday to the tune of 30 and 19 points, respectively, while Stewart added another 14.

The game marked Dawn Staley's final as head coach as she stepped down following the win. "Our country has a lot of great coaches that can get the job done. Me, being a part of I believe six, that's enough. I'm full, I'm full," she said, per USA Today's Dan Wolken.

Dawn: "Our country has a lot of great coaches that can get the job done. Me, being a part of I believe six, that’s enough. I’m full, I’m full."

— Dan Wolken (@DanWolken) August 8, 2021

Takada Maki, arguably Japan's best during these Games, scored 17 points for the host country en route to a silver medal.

    

US Volleyball Makes History with 1st Gold

Team USA women's volleyball didn't just defeat Brazil to capture the organization's first gold medal Sunday in the Olympics, it blanked the runners-up, beating them in straight sets. A dominant team throughout the Games, it had lost only one of its eight total matches over the course of the competition.

Jordan Larson, in her third Olympics, delivered the final kill to send Brazil to its first loss. She spoke on her emotions following the victory, per Olivia Reiner of USA Today. "I've cried more in the last 24 hours than I think I have in my career. I'm not an emotional player, emotional person, but I think just the emotions got the best of me. I'm now in kind of this euphoria and like shock state."

We don't know about you, but hearing @usavolleyball sing We Are The Champions after winning #TokyoOlympics gold has us in our feelings. #OlympicHERstory pic.twitter.com/ZzIDppegT1

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 8, 2021

Also in shock? Brazil, which entered the contest unbeaten but was soundly defeated.

American coach Karch Kiraly touted the credibility of Brazil and its history of denying the U.S. in Olympic competition. "Brazil is a legend in indoor volleyball, both on the women's side and the men's side...we lost to them in the final in 2008 in Beijing and in 2012 in London."

Team USA accomplished the goal without star spiker Jordan Thompson, who also missed Friday's semifinal against Serbia, making the team's victories in both rounds that much more impressive and memorable.

Showing grit and tenacity, a trademark of the United States' efforts in this year's Games, the women of Team USA volleyball now take their place in the history books.

The Tokyo Olympics concludes Sunday with what will undoubtedly be an awe-inspiring closing ceremony, but before that, there are still several dozen medals to be earned by world-class athletes on the grandest stage in sports.

The United States' women's basketball team will look to cap off a tournament it has dominated by winning its seventh consecutive gold medal.

Team USA's women's volleyball will also look to add to the country's gold-medal count in its final against Brazil.

              

Women's Basketball Seeks Historic Gold Against Home Team

In order for the U.S. women's basketball team to capture a seventh straight Olympic gold medal, it will have to defeat host nation Japan.

Reigning WNBA MVP A'ja Wilson will celebrate her 25th birthday as she takes the court for the game. The Las Vegas Aces forward has been among the best players in the Olympics, scoring double digits in every game but one.

She saw a reduced role in the semis against Serbia, but that only served to freshen her up and allow her to focus on a gold-medal game, wherein the U.S. will need her in order to win.

Wilson and fellow Olympic rookie Chelsea Gray know exactly what they are playing for.

"Legacy. It's a standard that USA Basketball has set," Gray told the media following her team's victory over Australia. "There's a lot of great people who have come through this program, some that are still playing."

Two such people are Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi who, at 40 and 39, respectively, may well be competing in their final Games. Their veteran leadership has been invaluable.

Diana hit the spin cycle 😳

The women's USA basketball team has advanced to the final and will play for their seventh consecutive Olympic gold medal

(via @NBCSports)pic.twitter.com/bJCwKfRALc

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) August 6, 2021

Breanna Stewart and Brittney Griner have come up big for the team too in just their second Olympics.

The team will look to utilize what has been a stifling defense throughout the competition to thwart a Japan team that is vastly superior from beyond the arc and touts similar stats. The teams met before in the group stage in a game won by the Americans.

Bird, Taurasi, Wilson, Stewart, Griner and the rest of the team take the court Saturday at 10:30 p.m. ET.

              

Team USA Women's Volleyball Battles Brazil for Gold

U.S. women's volleyball head coach Karch Kiraly choked up as he stood in front of the microphone following his team's victory over Serbia, with tears welling up in his eyes. "I want them to experience standing at the top of the podium," he told reporters.

This was a coach whose love for his team and players was evident. He had just watched them overcome the world champions in game that showed their maturity and determination.

The team put away Serbia in decisive fashion, winning in straight sets, thanks to strong showings from opposite Andrea Drews and outside hitter Jordan Larson. The team will hope to have spiker Jordan Thompson back for the final after she sat out the Serbia match with an ankle injury.

What a night of volleyball! The U.S. Women shut down Serbia 🇷🇸 3-0 to advance to the GOLD MEDAL match! @annie_drews led the U.S. with 17 points, @JordanLarson10 with 15! #Tokyo2020

📷@volleyballworld pic.twitter.com/DXpj6Vit55

— USA Volleyball (@usavolleyball) August 6, 2021

The U.S. will need her if it hopes to keep alive its gold-medal aspirations.

Brazil has not been as convincing throughout the tournament, but it has found success through its blocks.

Four players on the team have managed three blocks each.

The U.S. team is surprisingly loose given the enormity of the moment facing them Sunday, though.

"People say we're going to be under so much pressure because we've never won the gold medal," Larson said, per Steve Drumwright of Team USA. "But we're under no pressure because we've never done it. Why not go out swinging?"

The U.S. competes for volleyball gold Sunday at 12:30 a.m. ET.

In a rematch of one of the best games from the tournament, Japan and the United States will square off for the gold medal in baseball at the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday. 

The host nation has been the best team throughout the event with a perfect 4-0 record. Its lineup has been fantastic, scoring 23 runs in four games. 

The South Korean squad did get a second shot at qualifying for the final when it met the Americans in the second semifinal Thursday. The U.S. won the first meeting between these two teams 4-2 in group play Saturday. 

Team USA once again took care of business with a 7-2 victory to get another attempt at beating Japan. 

---

2020 Olympic Baseball Gold-Medal Game

Matchup: Japan (4-0) vs. United States (3-1)

Date: Saturday, Aug. 7 

Start Time: 6 a.m. ET

Live Stream: NBCSports.com

Watch: USA (Tape delay at 9:30 a.m. ET)

Team USA played its most complete game of the tournament Thursday. Jack Lopez started the scoring with an RBI single in the bottom of the second. 

In Wednesday's semifinal, Japan briefly appeared to be on the ropes against South Korea. The South Koreans got two runs in the top of the sixth to even the score 2-2. 

The Japanese put together a two-out rally in the bottom of the eighth with the help of some sloppy pitching by South Korea's bullpen.

Kensuke Kondoh reached first on a fielder's choice with two outs. Korean reliever Go Woo-suk proceeded to throw a wild pitch, intentionally walked Munetaka Murakami and issued a free pass to Takuya Kai that loaded the bases. 

Tetsuto Yamada cleared the bases with a three-run double that gave Japan a 5-2 advantage. Ryoji Kuribayashi closed out the win by pitching a scoreless ninth. 

After both teams went undefeated in group play, the U.S. and Japan met in the second round of the tournament on Monday.

The two teams traded haymakers in the middle innings, with the United States scoring three runs each in the fourth and fifth to take a 6-3 lead. Japan got two runs back in the bottom of the fifth. 

Yuki Yanagita tied the game with an RBI single off Scott McGough in the bottom of the ninth. Takuya Kai walked it off in the 10th with a single that scored Yanagita for the 7-6 victory. 

Japan has never won an Olympic gold medal in baseball. It has only been in the final once in 1996, when it lost to Cuba, and has won bronze twice. The United States is looking for its second Olympic gold and first since 2000. 

South Korea will play the Dominican Republic in the bronze-medal game on Friday night at 11 p.m. ET.    

The star players on the United States women's national soccer team had similar reactions following their semifinal loss to Canada at the Tokyo Olympics.

Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe and Carli Lloyd were all upset but forward-looking in their social media posts Tuesday:

Devastated to say the least not to be competing for a gold medal, but hungry for more and thankful we get to compete for bronze in 2 days. Thank you everyone for the support!

— Alex Morgan (@alexmorgan13) August 3, 2021

“Life has knocked me down a few times. It showed me things I never wanted to see. I experienced sadness and failures. But one thing for sure, I always get up.” #stillnotdone #Tokyo2020 pic.twitter.com/B1f7f5PZWB

— Carli Lloyd (@CarliLloyd) August 3, 2021

"Gutted. Motivated. Together. We have it all to play for," Rapinoe posted on Instagram, via ESPN.

"Not done yet," Lloyd added.

The United States will not play for a gold medal after the 1-0 loss to Canada, but will have a chance to play for the bronze medal Thursday against Australia.

Morgan, Lloyd and Rapinoe have seen plenty of ups and downs for Team USA over the past decade. They were all on the 2012 team that won gold at the London Olympics as well as the 2016 squad that lost in the quarterfinal and failed to medal.

The Americans are also coming off a win in the 2019 World Cup but failed to live up to their enormous expectations at these Olympics. Prior to the loss to Canada, the United States went just 1-1-1 in three group-stage matches before surviving on penalty kicks against the Netherlands in the quarterfinal.

These three stars will have to regroup for the bronze-medal match before considering the next steps of their careers.

Katie Ledecky sympathized with fellow Olympian Simone Biles after the American gymnast cited her mental health in withdrawing from the team and individual all-around competitions at the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

"I would never want to speak for Simone or say that I know what she’s feeling because none of us do, but I understand it," Ledecky told reporters. "We’re at the highest level, we have the most eyes on us of anyone in the world right now. I’m not just saying us as in Simone and me, I’m saying everyone at the Olympics. I mean everyone around the world is watching."

The six-time Olympic gold medalist added the attention and scrutiny that comes with competing in the Olympics can put a strain on an athlete.

“Mental health is so important, physical health is so important, and it’s no different being Olympians," Ledecky said. "It’s something that we all have to watch out for, watch out for each other and help each other through in times of need.”

For Biles, the burden was even higher because she was arguably the face of Team USA for this year's Summer Games. And the standard she had set for herself coming into this summer raised expectations to an almost unattainable level.

The New York Times' Juliet Macur profiled Biles as the Olympics were getting underway and described just how exacting the last few years have been on her.

Beyond the physical wear and tear of competing and training, the 24-year-old suffered the trauma of watching the Larry Nassar scandal unfold. More than 150 women and girls said in court that they were sexually abused by Nassar during his time as a doctor for Michigan State and USA Gymnastics. Nassar was sentenced in 2018 to at least 100 years in prison on child pornography and sexual assault convictions.

Biles revealed in January 2018 she was among Nassar's victims, and Macur described her as feeling "betrayed" and "[believing] that her sport didn’t care for her at all" from the saga.

The four-time Olympic gold medalist was blunt when discussing her motivations for continuing to compete.

"I’m going to go out there and represent the USA, represent World Champions Centre, and represent Black and brown girls over the world," Biles told Macur. "At the end of the day, I’m not representing USA Gymnastics."

Biles helped the United States win silver in the team competition earlier this week.

USA Gymnastics announced Wednesday morning that she wouldn't participate in the all-around final. Her status for the individual competitions remains up in the air.

After the Russian Olympic Committee beat the U.S. women's gymnastics team by over a point in qualifications at the Tokyo Olympics on Sunday, many assumed Team USA would bounce back for the team final. After all, they had Simone Biles, right?

But in a shocking turn Tuesday, that was not the case. Biles dropped out of the competition for an undisclosed medical reason, leaving the U.S. gymnasts at a major disadvantage.

Team USA should be proud that its remaining competitors were able to win silver under such difficult circumstances. However, the situation exposed the Americans' overreliance on Biles and could signal the end of an era of their unchallenged dominance.

The Russian Olympic Committee performed relatively well in team finals, coming back from two balance-beam falls in the third rotation to take the gold by more than three points in the four-event competition. But sadly, it was not a victory over the best team in the world. It was contingent upon Biles having a major error on vault in the Americans' opening event and then scratching.

Team USA's remaining three athletes—Grace McCallum, Jordan Chiles and Sunisa Lee—showed real grit in the face of adversity in the team final. Each came through for Biles with a clutch performance.

Chiles, who was originally replaced in the beam lineup after having two falls in qualifications, hit there and on bars. Lee, who is still on the road back from an ankle injury, replaced Biles on floor. They are a testament to how strong and deep this team is even without its star.

However, their loss is a testament to how much this team has relied on Biles' dominance for the past eight years. Not having the GOAT to bring in the big numbers was a big hit to the Americans' final score.

Back in April, ROC national team coordinator Valentina Rodionenko said of Biles: "You remove her and we will easily beat them." That statement proved prescient Tuesday.

The score was close going into the final rotation, with both teams on the floor exercise. But without Biles' massive potential score, it would have taken a series of major errors for the ROC to lose.

Biles was set to compete on all four events Tuesday—she still has eight more routines to go in these Olympics if competes in the all-around and event finals—and has by leaps and bounds the most international experience of the team. Her teammates rely on her to provide leadership and support, and she even did that after being sidelined, as she stayed on the competition floor to support them (and Angelina Melnikova).

Even for an athlete of Biles' caliber, the weight of those expectations is astronomical. In an emotional Instagram post after the team's disappointing qualification outing, Biles said, "I truly do feel like I have the weight of the world on my shoulders at times."

The expectation to be a team leader may be even stronger now, as leadership does not seem to be coming from on high. After the subpar qualification round, U.S. national team coordinator Tom Forster did not express worry, telling the media "it will all work out" before brusquely leaving a press availability.

Forster's strategy for choosing the team has also been widely criticized, as he opted to choose the team based on rank order after the Olympic trials rather than taking the potentially highest-scoring team. At the time, he claimed that "a few tenths" wouldn't matter, and to be fair, they wouldn't have Tuesday. But having MyKayla Skinner on the team could have brought in valuable experience here, along with potentially strong routines on vault, beam and floor. 

Hopefully his team selection process will be more strategic in the future, because at these Olympics, the ROC has shown that it should not be underestimated. In qualifications, the idea that the gold was all but guaranteed for the U.S. has been dashed, as the ROC harkened back to the days of Russian dominance in the sport when it hit 12 of 12 routines to place first. The ROC deserves a lot of credit for such a brilliant performance in qualifications and to pull off the win in the final despite those two beam falls. 

It's just a shame that it comes with a caveat—that the U.S. was without its star—when in reality, the ROC has one of the strongest teams we've seen in a long time. The team is led by an incredible trio of athletes, including Melnikova, a veteran, and two others who are still up-and-coming. Viktoria Listunova, for one, wouldn't even have been able to participate last year, as she wouldn't have been age-eligible, and 16-year-old Vladislava Urazova is expected to make a splash in the all-around final.

Their strength combined with Biles' impending retirement means that future team finals are bound to get more interesting, and these Games may be a preview of what's to come. But that doesn't mean the U.S. women have failed—or will have failed.

A "bad" day for the U.S. is a great day for most other teams, and a silver medal in the team final with two athletes qualified for every individual final is nothing to scoff at.  

As the ROC gymnasts celebrated their win, Biles congratulated them and stood on the podium with her teammates, happily displaying their silver medals. At the end of the day, having a silver as your fallback option isn't a bad place to be.

On the heels of Simone Biles leaving the women's gymnastics team competition after just one rotation at the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo on Tuesday, Team USA fell to the Russian Olympic Committee.

ROC took gold with a total score of 169.528, while the Americans settled for silver with a score of 166.096. Great Britain won bronze with 164.096 points.

Here is a look at the full finishing order, courtesy of Olympics.com:

1. Russian Olympic Committee: 169.528

2. United States: 166.096

3. Great Britain: 164.096

4. Italy: 163.638

5. Japan: 163.280

6. France: 163.264

7. China: 161.196

8. Belgium: 159.695

Biles was removed from the competition after falling on her vault attempt. Biles scored just 13.766 on the vault, which was well below her usual score:

Reports are stating that Simone Biles is being attended to by a trainer and has left the field of play at the Ariake Gymnastics Centre #Tokyo2020 #SimoneBiles has not warmed up for the uneven bars, USA's second apparatus and reserve Jordan Chiles has.

More to come.. pic.twitter.com/dGyacVsVQO

— #Tokyo2020 (@Tokyo2020) July 27, 2021

Jordan Chiles replaced Biles on the uneven bars, and Al Butler of United Press International reported a Team USA coach told the NBC broadcast that Biles exited the competition because of a "mental issue" and not an injury.

USA Gymnastics later released a statement, saying Biles had a "medical issue" and would be assessed moving forward:

Official statement: "Simone Biles has withdrawn from the team final competition due to a medical issue. She will be assessed daily to determine medical clearance for future competitions."

Thinking of you, Simone! pic.twitter.com/QA1GYHwWTv

— USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) July 27, 2021

Despite losing arguably the greatest gymnast of all time early in the team competition, Team USA remained within striking distance throughout thanks to strong performances from Chiles, Sunisa Lee and Grace McCallum on the uneven bars and balance beam.

The Americans were only about a half-point behind the ROC when the final rotation began, but disaster struck during the floor exercise. Chiles slipped and fell late in her routine, scoring just 11.700 points.

While the miscue was disappointing for 20-year-old and Team USA, Juliet Macur of the New York Times attempted to put her overall performance in perspective:

Jordan Chiles scored 11.7 points for her floor routine, after a fall, and the U.S.'s chances for gold just disappeared. Kudos to Chiles, though, for taking Simone Biles's place on the uneven bars and balance beam when she didn't expect to compete on them. She can be proud.

— Juliet Macur (@JulietMacur) July 27, 2021

With the second-place finish, Team USA's run of Olympic gold in the team competition came to an end at two in a row, although the Americans are still the reigning five-time world champions in the team event.

The silver medal is the first of Biles' Olympic career after she won four golds and one bronze at the 2016 Summer Games. Meanwhile, Lee, Chiles and McCallum all won their first Olympic medals on Tuesday.

As for ROC, the quartet of Liliia Akhaimova, Viktoriia Listunova, Angelina Melnikova and Vladislava Urazova brought a Russian team its first gold in women's team gymnastics since the Unified Team took gold in 1992. 

A ruling last year by the Court of Arbitration for Sport banned Russia's team name as punishment for an extensive doping program and cover-ups, and all Russian athletes at the Tokyo Games are competing for the ROC.

The Russian Olympic Committee claimed the men's gymnastics gold medal on Monday, narrowly defeating Japan in the team all-around competition.

The ROC's final score of 262.500 was just 0.103 ahead of Japan and not even a point ahead of bronze medalist China in a thrilling final. All Russian athletes at the Tokyo Games are competing for the ROC. A ruling last year by the Court of Arbitration for Sport banned Russia's team name as punishment for an extensive doping program and cover-ups.

Great Britain came in fourth place, while the United States was fifth.

Gold: ROC 262.500
Silver: Japan 262.397
Bronze: China 261.894
4th: Great Britain 255.760
5th: United States 254.594

Artur Dalaloyan and Nikita Nagornyy spearheaded the effort from the ROC. Nagornyy clinched the gold with an excellent floor routine of 14.666, giving him just enough points to put ROC ahead of Japan.

Daiki Hashimoto clinched the silver for Japan with his scintillating bar routine.

This was the closest race for the gold since the Perfect 10 system was eliminated.